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Welcome back, Jiwa

By S. RAMAGURU

KUALA LUMPUR: Utility player Jiwa Mohan is set to make a return to the national hockey team for the World Cup qualifying tournament in Invercargill from Nov 7-15.

Coach Tai Beng Hai said yesterday that Jiwa had informed them that he would return from Perth for the team’s final selection trials – a five-match Test series against Australia from Oct 19-25.

Full of experience: Jiwa Mohan can play in defence, midfield or attack.

“The matches against Australia will indicate his level of fitness. He can provide experience to the team. He can play in defence, midfield or attack and our options will certainly be better with him in the team,” added Beng Hai.

Jiwa quit the national team last year to concentrate on his job in Australia. But he made a return to the team earlier this year to play in the Asia Cup in Kuantan, after which he said that he was willing to feature for Malaysia in only major international tournaments.

For Beng Hai, the return of Jiwa will be a major boost to his defensive line-up. Currently, he has skipper Mohamed Madzli Ikmar, Mohamed Amin Rahim, Mohamed Shukri Mutalib and C. Baljit Singh as the regular defenders in the team.

“We have these players for the Asia Cup and also the Champions Challenge II tournament. So they have some good understanding,” he said.

“Jiwa will be an effective leader in the backline and we can also use him as a defensive midfielder.

“The Test matches against Australia will help us work on the playing formation that we want to employ in New Zealand.”

The World Cup qualifying tournament offers one place to the Finals in New Delhi next year and Malaysia will be up against New Zealand, China, Scotland, Austria and Wales.

Beng Hai said that since training resumed on Thursday, all but two players were back in camp.

Forward S. Selvaraju is still playing in the New Zealand League and he will return at the end of the month while Sallehin Ghani has yet to check in after completing a stint in Austria last week together with Chua Boon Huat.

“Training is going full steam ahead and I expect players to fight hard for places in the final team. The matches against Australia are crucial in the selection process and players must not take their place for granted,” said Beng Hai.

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